Improvement in combined tramways and pavements



N.PETERS, FHOTmLITHOGRAFHER. wAsmNaTou. D. c,

(duurt iata BARZILLAI O. SMITH, OE BURLINGTO, NEW JERSEY.

Letters Patent No. 110,597, dated December 27, 1870;

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED TRAMWAVS AND PAVEMENTS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

I, BARZILLAI C. SMITH, of Burlington, county of Burlington, State of New Jersey', have invented a Combined Tramway and Pavement, ot' which lthe following is a specification.

Nature and Obect of the Iiwentt'on.

My invention consists in the combination, with an ordinary street pavement, of longitudinal girders of cast-iron, constructed in the manner fully described hereafter, the whole forming a tramway, whichLwhile it aiords facilities for omnbusses and other like pub- -lic vehicles having the right oi'- way to be drawn over the tramway with as much ease `asa Streetcar, ordinary vehicles can turn out from the same with much greater ease than from a street-railway.

Description of the'Accomlmng/ing Drawing.

Figure l isa vertical section of my improved tra1nway and pavement combined;

Figure 2, a plan view;

Figure 3, a perspective view of a portion ot' one of the cast-iron girders which compose the tramway; and v Figure 4, a section on the line -l 2, showing the mode of connecting two adjoining girders together.

General Description.. v

The tramway consists of cast-iron girders A, between which is laid au ordinary pavement of wood, stone, or other material. Each girder consists of an upper plate and two vertical fianges, a a, and is simply bedded on the prepared surface ofthe ground, into which the ilanges a a penetrate. Of the upper surface of the girder, the central portion b is the highest, and is slightly arched, as shown in iig.- 3, and on each side of this central portion, and slightly lower than the same, a tread, d,- is' formed, these treads being slightly inclined downward in opposite directions from the central portion. These treads d d terminate abruptly at the outer treads e c, whichextend to the edge of the girder, and which are also slightly inclined downward in opposite directions.

Transverse ribs f extend across the central portion of the girder, are depressed at the edges of the same, and continued lacross the tread d, at the edges of which they are again depressed and continued across the outer treads e to the edges ofthe girder.'

The upper surface of the pavement D coincides with the surface of the outer treads of the girder,

above which the ribs f' project.

The girders are fitted together at the ends in the following manner:

At the ends of each girder, near each upper corner, is formed a square recess or socket for the reception of the square pin n, one-half or thereabouts of which projects into the socket of one girder, A, and the other halt' into the socket of the adjoining girder A', as best observed in iig. 4, the pins thus serving as dowels for maintaining the girders in line. Near the end of each girder is a vertical opening, p, communicating with the recess or socket m, and a bar, shown by dot- `ted lilies in iig. 4, can be introduced through either of these openings, its end inserted in one of the orices -in the top of the pin, and used as a lever to push the pin iu eithcll direction. By means of this lever the pin canbe removed entirely from the' socket of one g'irder into that of the other, and any one of the girders can consequently be moved when access has to be had to water or gas-pipes beneath.

Instead of forming a number of oricesin the pin n, and adapting a lever to the same, as above described, the said pin might in sonic instances be provided with a projection or operating-arm, extending upward into one ofthe openings p, the latter, in such ease, taking the form of an elongated slot, so as to permit the required movement of the pin and its lrllll'.

two tramways, or two forming one, may be used. In wider streets four girders may be laid, so as to make -three tramways, and in still wider streets tive girders may be arranged for four tramways. I prefer, however, that the distance between the curb and the tramway nearest to it should be such that vehicles can occupy that space without being disturbed by those traversing the said tramway.

In very narrow streets two tramways might be arranged by placing one girder in the center of the street, and so casting the gutters as to form bearings for the wheels of vehicles.

rIhe girders should be arranged at such a distance apart that vehicles of the narrowcst gauge may traverse the treads c c of two girders, while vehicles having a wider gauge may traverse the treads c1.

' The central portion f of each girder should be of such a width that the hubs of the wheels oa vehicle traversing one tramway shall in no case interfere with the hubs of the wheels traversing .the adjoining tramway.

While there is a tendency of the wheels of vehicles to remain on the tramway selected, owing to the downward inclination of the treads, which theytraverse to the ends of the ribsof'the adjacent treads, it is an easy matter for the vehicles to be turned out from thetraelr, the ribs facilitating such `turn out. Hence the tramway, 'while it affords facilities for omnibuses and other like publie vehicles which may have the right of way to be drawn .over the tramway In streets of ordinary width three girders, forming with as much ease as a, streetcar, ordinary vehieies can turnout from -the same with much greater; ease than from a, street-railway.

Although I prefer to employ the ribs f, they might in some e'eses be dispensed with, providing the inclined treads were retained, without departing from my in- Mvention.

l. The eombination'with ordinary street-pavements of longitudinal girders of east-iron, constructed substantially as set forth.

2. The recesses fmV in the ends ofV the girders, yeornmunicaitingwith vertical holes p in the the seme, and' adapted to Lthe pins n., all substztntialiy as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribingA witnesses.

B. lG. SMITH.

Witnesses:

WM. A. STEEL, JNO. B. HARDING. 

